Lost and Lonely
by prosopopeya
Summary: Jareth takes Sarah to the Underground to take care of her and Toby when her world crumbles. At first, everything's swell, but Sarah's world soon crashes again and hard truths are learned. Please rr.
1. Numbness

A/N: Well, here I am again with yet another Sarah and Jareth fanfiction. I wouldn't expect another one from me for a while; I feel the obsession wearing off and I'm rather tired of my quarantine from other movies and books that I placed on myself to keep the obsession. But, enough for the meh, time for the Jareth/Sarah love!This has more explicit scenes--though I did refrain from using words that weren't tasteful--and there are two instances intead of one. I hope you enjoy this story; in my opinion, it's one of the best ones I've written...or at least I'll think so until I read it again a year or so from now XD

To those who reviewed Such a Fooled Heart, thank you so much! I love hearing from you guys; your reviews really made my day! I really hope you'll like Lost and Lonely as much as you liked Heart; I wrote it with you guys in mind. Without further ado:

**Lost and Lonely**

Sarah rolled over fitfully in her sleep. A week had passed since that rainy night, and that's all that Sarah remembered from it: a rainy night. No Labyrinth, no Hoggle, no Goblin King. It was all a dream to her, and it had been the last peaceful night's rest since. An angry sighed escaped from the sheets of her bed and she slapped the comforter, as if blaming it for her insomnia. Through the pale moonlight coming in her window, the figurine of the Goblin King from the novel stared at her.

Giving up on sleep, Sarah climbed out of her bed and stumbled across the hallway to the bathroom, getting a glass of water and slowly swallowing it. Dreams, some that left her feeling warm, others that left her in tears and with an empty, searching feeling, had plagued these past few nights. She never could remember them though, so all she had to grasp was the feelings they left her. Never did she think to connect them with that dream of the Labyrinth. That, too, had faded into a lost memory.

As she left the cool gaze of the bathroom lights and returned to her dark room, she curled up beneath the covers and tried to ignore that empty feeling. It had grown inside her more and more until she felt as if she would burst from its pressure on her. Sighing, she hugged a pillow to her side, wishing desperately for something to cradle her. This feeling of being alone was new to her. She'd never had a boyfriend to hold her, so these longings for a warm someone to hold her against his chest were strange. She felt confused and hurt and lonely, though she thought she had no reason to feel lonely.

Nothing had changed, right?

Jareth watched her sleep—_Try to sleep,_ he corrected himself—through his crystal. Not that he really needed it. He saw everything through the eyes of the glass Goblin King on her vanity, a rather convenient method to watch her grow up. Sarah, the light that had been burning inside him for years. And now, he could wait no longer. She had proved herself to him, and now it was his turn to prove himself.

Still, the thought of waiting any longer for his bride made him agitated, as it had for these past sixteen years. Life before hadn't exactly been a picnic for his subjects either, but they had discovered just how rough it could be during these years Jareth denied Sarah to himself. He blamed most of it on sexual frustration; he couldn't really enjoy it anymore, not when he felt a little guilty afterward. Instead of regular release, now it was intermittent, maybe once a month. He was hungry for her now, though, and being a king for what felt like an eternity had made him selfish. He had to have her, and soon.

With a growl, the crystal turned to glitter and he leapt up, kicking goblins out of his way as he stormed off to his bedchambers. It had been a mistake to think about Sarah. His erection was heavy as he tore off his clothes and sunk beneath the cool sheets of his bed.

_Maybe sleeping will help,_ he thought bitterly, though he knew nothing would help until he could sink within the depths of his love.

* * *

Sarah stared straight ahead, unblinking, unfeeling. Karen hugged tightly to Toby, sobbing into her baby. The straightforward words of the policemen bounced off Sarah's ears now as she tried to contemplate what was going on. Her father was dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. 

The word repeated over and over in her mind until it _was_ her mind, and she couldn't think, couldn't feel anything. She blinked. It was night. Somehow it was four days later. Her father had sunk into the ground that day, and she still felt like the hollow shell she had felt when the policemen first came to her house. Everything was blurred over, mostly from tears, the rest from despair. She was in her room, sitting on her bed, and she couldn't remember how she got there, the black dress she had worn to the funeral still on. Wet. Her cheeks were wet and tight. She felt them and discovered tears. She had been—correction, she _was_ crying.

Sarah wanted to scream, wanted to kick something, wanted to beat something over and over until her fists bled. Her pillow was too soft, her wall too hard, so she flung herself into the seat in front of her mirror and stared into her hollow reflection.

"Sarah, I want to talk to you," came a voice from outside her door. Sarah wanted to scream at her to go away, to leave her alone with this grief, this heartache. Instead she opened the door to see a distraught Karen there, holding a fussing Toby. If anything, Toby would bring her comfort, so she took the baby from her stepmother. Toby quit fussing and curled an arm around her neck, closing his eyes.

_At least he can sleep easily,_ she thought, and a bit of comfort came to her then. She caught Karen's annoyed look as she brushed past the children. Stopping in the middle of the room, she looked down at her hands and seemed nervous.

"What is it?" Sarah asked impatiently, wanting to be alone.

"Well…" Karen began. "Your father left behind a lot of debt, and the hospital bill from when they tried to save him is huge. Not to mention the damage on the car, insurance bills, and the funeral costs."

Sarah's blood began to run cold as she listened to Karen's words. It couldn't be happening. "No," Sarah uttered, sinking onto her bed, her arms protectively holding Toby to her. The baby started to fuss again as she held him a little too tightly.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, I just can't support all of us. I tried to call your mother, but—"

"How could you!" she screamed as she stood up, cradling Toby to her neck. "You couldn't wait until…until…You had to do it tonight!" Karen stared at Sarah's face without saying anything. "You bitch! I hate you! Get out of my room!" Karen reached out for Toby but Sarah stepped away from her, turning her shoulder to block Toby from her grasp. "Get out of my room while it's still mine," she hissed.

Karen looked uncertainly at her child before she decided against challenging the light in Sarah's eyes. She turned and strode out of the room, and Sarah waited until she was gone before she let the tears that were burning her eyes trickle down her face. A terrible tangle of emotions, she collapsed back onto her bed and held Toby close, sobbing into his striped pajamas. She was all-over anger, grief, heartbreak. Toby began to fuss over all the wetness, and she kissed his sweet-smelling head and laid him down on her bed, taking the spot next to him to make sure wouldn't roll out.

The baby giggled and reached for Sarah's hair, smacking it with a tiny fist. Sarah forced a smile for his sake. The one thing she had hated the most in the world, aside from Karen, and it was the only thing that could bring her comfort, what little comfort it was. Still, it was better than nothing, and Sarah kissed Toby gently, tears streaking her face.

Jareth fumed in his throne room. Goblins were flying every which way, and he almost picked up his throne for a minute before he realized he'd want a chair later. Instead he picked up a goblin and threw him down the hall. How could that miserable excuse for a parent hurt his Sarah? Sure, this would all just play right into his hands, but Sarah was _hurting_. Her pain spread through his body and pulsed at his temples, making him even angrier. He _had_ to get her here, not only to serve his own needs, but to give her the love and comfort she craved. As he watched her in his mind's eye, he saw her with Toby, and he knew he had to have the baby too or else she'd hate him for a while for stealing him away from her again. Sarah was easy to get into his Labyrinth. He could even steal her now, if he wanted, but first he had to figure out about Toby.

_Jareth_, he smirked as he remembered the name he gave the babe in the throne room. He really had liked the infant, so the addition of him to his future family left no qualms in his mind. It was just a matter of finding someone who would wish him away of their own free will, without any influence of his own. Direct influence anyway.

He tapped his gloved finger against his lips in thought. Sarah needed to be pulled out of that house tonight. The thought of her falling asleep another night with that pain in her drove him crazy. His lips yearned to kiss her tears away. A plan was needed, and quickly. A crystal appeared in his fingers, and through its shining surface, he watched Karen sink onto a couch. He cursed her severely for a minute, and then a smirk curled over his features as a plan sprang into his mind.

Sarah sat on her bed, doing what she had been doing for the past week. Sit and stare. She didn't even feel at home anymore, especially now that she knew it wouldn't be her home. Her mother still hadn't called Karen back, and she wasn't surprised. How often had that woman come into Sarah's life anyway? Her only solace now came from the baby sleeping in the next room.

A flash in her mind jolted her from her mindless trance.

_I offer you your dreams, Sarah._

She blinked and stared around her room. The voice was familiar, and it sent shivers along her skin. Her arms slid around her and hugged herself tightly, looking at every corner of her room. However, the gaze of her eyes never scanned her window, where a snowy white owl sat serenely on a branch before it alighted and flew to the other side of the house.

Karen glanced down at her sleeping child. A pang of sadness washed over her as she thought about the girl across the hall, but she didn't see how she could be expected to take care of the house, Toby, herself as well as Sarah. Especially college, not that she expected the girl would ever really go. She signed in frustration and looked away from the crib.

A red, worn leather book caught her eye. It seemed very familiar, and as she picked it up in her hands, she recognized it as the book Sarah had read nonstop for the past few months. She sank down onto her bed and flipped through it, stopping as she got to a certain part.

"I wish the goblins would come and take you away," she said to no one in particular, "right now."

Suddenly the lights in her room went out, and she heard noises all over the place, movement out of the corners of her eyes but she could never catch it. Rising to her feet, panic swept through her as a cold sweat broke out. Stumbling to the crib, she gasped to find Toby missing. A noise beat the window and she looked up to find a snowy white owl, all feathers on glass, beating frantically to be let in. In a flurry the window was open and she felt wind whipping about her, tossing her hair. It died down, and a man, all clad in black with a mass of blonde hair, stood before her. Two things about him screamed to her: the power in his stance and the flashing anger in his eyes.

"Please," she begged, tears creeping into her voice, "where's my baby?"

"Do you think you really deserve to be the mother of a child?" the man asked in a British dialect. Karen was confused, distraught, and getting desperate.

"Of course!" she spat out. "He's my son! Give him back!" Somehow her scream seemed to be absorbed into the walls, and her voice was quiet next to his power.

The man had been standing before her; now he approached her haughtily, a smirk toying with his lips, making him appear cruel and uncaring. "So you care for your son, but not your daughter?"

Karen felt her face fall. Everything within her sank and she ran cold again. "Sarah…Sarah put you up to this." It was crazy, but it was the only thought that ran through her head. He was pitting Sarah against Toby; Sarah had to be to blame.

"I'm afraid not. She's much too hurt and abandoned to busy herself with thoughts of revenge. I, however, am not. It is entirely _your_ actions that have put me up to this. You have been tested as a parent, and you have been found wanting."

A scream escaped Karen's mouth, but the aura of this man sucked it up, and she felt powerless before him. He laughed, a cruel, mocking laugh, and shook his head at her. He pulled out a crystal and spun it between his fingers, waiting for the woman's attention to fall on it.

"What—what is that?" she choked out, curiosity getting the better of her grief.

"It's a crystal; nothing more. But if you turn it this way and look into it, it can show you your dreams." The man's voice had changed, and she felt herself being drawn to him instead of repulsed. She stared into the crystal, and she saw herself living happily in a large house without any worries. She looked up at him with questioning eyes, searching this strange man for any answers. "I can give you your dreams. Would you like them?" Wordless, Karen nodded. "Then forget about the baby. I promise you, no harm will come to him."

Karen was ripped into two pieces. Toby had been an accident, but she did love him dearly. As for Sarah…it wasn't that she didn't _like _the girl. She just couldn't afford her. Her eyes traveled up the man before her, taking in the very sight of him. Something about him screeched evil, but as he stepped toward her, the crystal still balancing on his fingers, she saw a look of earnest on his face.

"Karen," he said softly. "This is more than someone like you deserves. Sarah and Toby will be safe with me, and they'll never want for anything." He paused here and his eyes shifted, flashed with joy as she realized that he thought he was winning. "And neither will you. There're your dreams, Karen. Your every wish. Take it." Everything within Karen fell as _she_ realized that he was winning.

"And they'll…be safe?" she asked timidly, looking up into his face, feeling weaker than ever. He simply nodded and gave a soft smile, pushing the crystal toward her. Her fingers reached out, shaking, and came down on the rounded, smooth surface.

Jareth grinned as the foolish woman disappeared. She was now some rich man's wife, most likely on a yacht in the Caribbean or something. Not that he really wanted her to have her grandest dreams, but she was too old to be a goblin, and he wasn't in the line of business to kill. Cruel though he may be, the worst punishment in his kingdom _was_ just to smell bad.

Quick strides took him out of the room, boots making not much noise on the thick carpet. His hand hovered over the doorknob to Sarah's room, and then it fell as he debated upon the best entrance. The sounds of Toby fussing could be heard drifting from the other side, and he knew that soon Sarah would search for what happened to Karen. Hrm, not a bad idea.

* * *

When Toby had just appeared there on the bed beside her, Sarah was more than a little shocked, but since nothing really thought-challenging had happened, it took her a while to rouse herself to actually wonder how Toby had gotten in her room. It felt strange for her mind to be working again, as if it had been deeply asleep like her feet sometimes and she just realized it. Her fingers gripped the cold doorknob—flashes of her father, cold and frozen in his coffin—and turned it in, pulling back the door, a familiar groan as the wood moves. 

A gasp, for there in front of her was a tall, otherworldly man, his hair wild about his face, a black silk shirt and black leggings under black riding boots. Something shifted inside her, but her mind was still numb, still caught in that moment of non-feeling before the tingling began. Her heart thudded in her chest and her blood spread through her whole body, her cheeks flushing hot.

"Who are you?" she asked, panic spreading through her voice, but her mind was still slow to move in its fog.

"A friend, Sarah. Karen has called me to take care of you and Toby." The man was lounging in the doorframe and he then stood up and strode past her into the room, bending over Toby and tickling his tummy. Toby stopped fussing and gurgled, raising his baby fists up to him. A warning shot through her mind but it didn't last very long, and Sarah stepped forward, drawn to him by the powerful magnetism that he emanated, and this feeling that she knew him before.

"How did you know my name?"

He turned his head to her, and she noticed that he had one blue eye and one green. A smile toyed at her lips at that. "We've met before, but you were a child then. I doubt you have any memories of me." His gentle smile made her heart warm. "I'm Jareth. Come, Sarah. Time grows short." A pale hand extended to her in the moonlight, waiting for her touch.

Wonderingly, numbly, her fingers slipped into his hand. A jolt of feeling surged through her, hot and electric, the shock emanating through her whole body. Whiteness filled her vision, then nothing.

A/N: I bit quick into the Labyrinth, I know, but I was anxious to get her there.


	2. Anticipation

Jareth paced the foot of her bed, the sunlight falling in waves over her. She should've been awake by now. No doubt the memories coming back had flooded her mind, but a day of sleep was ridiculous. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself, remind himself that she hadn't exactly had the best week. But it was hard to restrain himself when there she was, lying in bed, not five feet from his own chambers. The breath came out in an angry sigh as Toby began to wail in his crib. He didn't remember the baby crying _that_ much.

Turning his back on Sarah, he leaned over the crib and reached in to pick up Toby, whose arms wrapped themselves around his neck. Jareth gritted his teeth as his hair was uncomfortably pulled, but he forgot it when he saw the happy smile on Toby's face.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, looking into the small child's face. "Yes, you do have my eyes, don't you?"

With a glace over his shoulder at her sleeping form, he strode out of the room.

Sarah twisted in the unfamiliar sheets. Heat poured over her until she realized it was the sun's fault and not the blankets. Where were her blinds? Her eyes cracked open and found the source of the sun after a few painful moments of pupilar adjustment. A window, set deep in thick, stone walls, was throwing sunlight across her sheets, which were not the familiar sheets of her bed, but a thick red color that matched the dark wood of her four poster bed.

Her mind, still numb, forced itself to remember what was going on. So many images flooded her brain that it was hard to think let alone focus on one. Slowly she picked through the pictures until she found one that seemed recent. Yes, the man in her room, he would take care of her and Toby. Then, heat, and blackness.

Something crucial about that heat was missing, but she was getting a headache, and her stomach growled angrily at her. _Whoever this Jareth person is, he certainly is rich,_ she thought to herself as she marveled the room around her. A high ceiling, covered in intricate carvings, and a marble fireplace, thick wooden furniture, and what appeared to be the beginnings of a large bathroom could all be seen in her room.

Swinging her legs out, she slid off the silken sheets and padded over to the window. Leaning on the large stone surface, she felt a panic seize her. Miles upon miles of twisting walls were exposed to her, and beneath her, a city, filled with tiny people.

_Not people,_ she told herself as she watched them. They weren't the right color or shape; she couldn't name them, but this place seemed so horrifyingly similar. Panic surged through her body, and a voice screamed at her to run, run away.

Her door creaked open, and she gave a yelp of surprise, falling from the stone ledge she had been balancing herself on. She was waiting for the thud of the cold stones on her back, but it never came. A strong, warm, muscular body cushioned her. Shivers ran all over her as she felt the breath on her neck, strong hands on her waist. This person set her upright and turned her around, looking over her carefully.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, and she recognized him as Jareth. It felt so terribly wrong to have his hands on her, at least in her mind, but oh how the rest of her felt pulled to him, loved his hands on her. Where his hands were, her feeling returned. Fighting to keep her composure, she backed away, arms going over her body as if to protect the warmth he had created there.

"Yes…thank you," she replied, staring up at him worriedly. A heat had descended into his eyes, and his breath was heavy in his chest. He turned from her and scooped into his arms a familiar bundle. "Toby!" Sarah cried and ran to them both, fingers tracing the smooth outlines of his tiny features.

"He's been waiting for you to wake up," Jareth intoned, voice strong and making her shiver again.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked and her stomach screamed angrily again. Nausea swept her and she sank onto the bed, suddenly feeling pale, surprised as she realized how long it'd been since she actually felt nausea.

"A day. Come, you must eat." Again that hand was extended to her, but this time she didn't take it. She rose to her feet and, wobbling, started for the door. Something was nagging at her, something that was important for her to remember, but as she stepped out into the hallway with this man and he led her into a tall stone room piled high with steaming breakfast foods, she forgot her worries.

"What do you remember of me?" Jareth asked after a bit, his words careful, his voice suspicious. His eyes looked up at her from his plate, worry etched on his features. But Sarah hadn't noticed that. Instead she was staring intently down at her half-empty plate, trying hard to remember. There, there was something! A voice, an image of him in the window of her father's room. And then she remembered who he was, but she still couldn't explain the fear that swelled up in her chest, or why she shouldn't let him near Toby.

"You're the Goblin King," she said slowly, a red leather book coming into her mind's eye. "There's something else about you…" Jareth stared at her expectantly, but all that came out was a frustrated sigh. "That's it. But I do remember who you are," she said cheerfully, though she couldn't think of why she should be so happy to have dredged up a memory from her childhood. It wasn't like she just met him or anything.

The tension melted in Jareth's stance and he smiled at her, then chuckled, and finally he was laughing. Sarah was a little scared by this, so she just smiled nervously and finished up her breakfast. His eyes were on her during their meal, and she could feel the flames that would flicker in his eyes every now and then repeat themselves somewhere inside her.

"Well, Sarah, what do you think of your new home?" he asked as he sat back. A wave of his hand and everything on the table disappeared.

_It's a good thing I was finished,_ she thought darkly, but she chided herself for somehow wanting to be mean to him.

"I think I'll like it," she replied. At least now she could be like a magical princess in some enchanted land. Even if the land was filled with strange goblins. "Thank you for taking us in," she smiled at him, and the smile that he returned to her was bright and happy.

* * *

Giggling in the corner of the goblin nursery, Sarah watched on as a group of goblins played with Toby. One would make gurgling noises while two fought over which would tickle him. They had come a long way since Sarah arrived in terms of sharing and being kind, but they still had a way to go. A largely blissful three months had passed by, and while she heard quite a few tantrums from Jareth, he had become the closest friend she'd ever had. Still, there was a blackness in her mind surrounding him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Despite that, she was beginning to realize that without him, she quite possibly would've spiraled into depression. A thought of that nature was coming to her then as she thought about all the time she'd spent laughing Underground compared to how much laughter she had enjoyed her last week on Earth. She chillingly recognized that for hours during that week, there was nothing. No memory of what she was doing, but she _had_ to have been doing something. She shivered then at the thought, and a gloved hand gently caressed her cheek.

"What's the matter?" he asked smoothly behind her, his breath on her cheek tickling her senses and sending a shiver through her.

"I was just thinking how much better this place is to Earth," she replied, pushing from her mind the images of Jareth that were coming into her mind. The past few nights, probably for about a week, she had been thinking about Jareth in ways that made her blush when she was around him, but she couldn't help it. Quite a large crush was developing in her for this man—she couldn't deny anymore that what she was feeling might've gone deeper than a crush—that she knew she had to see as her father, but his aura was so strong, the sexual vibes that rolled off him too much for a teenager to take.

Not that he ever really tried to make himself seem fatherly, at least not with her. Around Toby, he was the perfect picture of fatherhood. Sarah even grudgingly admitted that he seemed better than her own father at caring for Toby. It had been hard getting over her father, especially when she had to watch Toby and Jareth growing closer. Toby's first word was "Jare," an obvious attempt at Jareth's name. It had hurt her, but Jareth was always there it seemed whenever a sad thought crossed her mind.

Indeed, it was that which made him seem the least fatherly toward her. The tenderness with which he catered to her whims, the way she'd catch him looking at her, the feelings he drew forth in her, none of them held the fatherly feeling. She hoped against hope that he might love her in some other way, but she always had a nagging doubt in her mind. That and every now and then her mind would scream something unrecognizable at her, but after a while, she grew to ignore that.

He smirked and stood next to her, watching with amused eyes at Toby and the goblins. "I just hope you remember moments like these," he said. He often said things like that, cryptic messages that confused Sarah. She was about to ask what he meant when he slipped his arm around her waist and held her to him. A blush quickly settled through her whole body, and she tingled in areas that made her want to moan. Teeth bit her lip and she tried to restrain herself.

_He's just being affectionate,_ she earnestly tried to convince herself, but her body refused to listen. Leaning into him, she found her head on his shoulder before she even remembered putting it there. His arm hugged her closer to him as her arms snaked around him of their own accord. They had been getting closer at stuff like that these past months, touches here, hugs there, fingertips brushing together. Often when he bid her good night, he lightly kissed her cheek.

"Sarah?" Jareth's voice was hoarse.

Her heart beat in her chest, eyes searching his face. "Yes?"

Jareth started to say something, then glanced down at her and stopped. The candles in the room glowed brightly, and Sarah had realized long before that they were magical, for the sun had set outside and the moon was beginning to rise. "It's time for bed," he said, gesturing toward Toby.

Disappointed for some reason, Sarah scooped Toby into her arms, goblins pouting and waving bye to the baby as they left. She set Toby down in his crib in the nursery, pressing her lips to his and moving aside as Jareth did the same. She stepped out of the room, Jareth holding the door for her. His hand gently landed on the small of her back, as if leading her out the door, and then fell away as they reached the hall. Walking silently, there was a heavy tension in the air. Not an angry one, but an anticipatory one, as if something big was about to happen but it wasn't there yet.

They paused there in the hallway, staring at each other and past each other at the bedroom doors behind them. Sarah felt her face flushing again so she turned away from Jareth, mumbling as she went.

"Good night," she said, sheepishly and scared, heart beating wildly in her chest. She turned to go to her door, leaving his company in the middle of the wide space, but before she got very far, his hand caught hers and he reached out, gently pushing her hair out of her face. A soft smile came over his immaculate face, and he leaned in to do what Sarah expected him to do, what he had often done lately, kiss her cheek. But she was surprised when his lips didn't turn as they usually did but brushed her own, ever so lightly, the effect sending shivers of electricity through her at the touch, and she beamed back at him, not wanting to let go of his hand.

Jareth, however, did let go, turning slowly back to his door. Sarah trembled as she turned to her own, hearing the finality of his shutting behind her. Sighing in frustration, she pulled open her door and shut it behind her, pulling her clothes off. The cool air flowed over her hot skin, and for a moment she closed her eyes to let the coolness calm her raging nerves, blood pounding at all the right and wrong places. With another sigh, this one wistful, she put on her nightgown and climbed into bed, wishing for Toby so she could curl up next to him. Though as she pulled the covers up and put her head against the pillow, she knew who she really wanted to curl up against, and she closed her eyes to dreams of the warm skin of the Goblin King.

Jareth threw the crystal across the room, turning his eyes away from the image of her standing in her room, her body aroused and him not able to do anything. Sure, he could've knocked on her door and taken her then, but she wasn't ready yet. _He_ wasn't ready yet for what would happen to her afterwards. For a while he had been holding out the hope that she had completely forgotten her previous experience with the Labyrinth, but he was tired of lying to himself. He could see her wake up every time he touched her.

Gritting his teeth, he too shed his clothes and slid beneath the black silk sheets of his bed, staring at the empty pillow beside him. That moment was it for him. He decided then that she would fill that blank spot on his bed. And soon.


	3. Intensity

A/N: Warning: The beginning part of this chapter contains antics of the bedroom sort, so if you don't like it, read until Sarah and Jareth say good night, then skip down to the next scene break.

Collapsing back onto the floor, Sarah tried to catch her breath. Her smile felt permanent on her face, her ribs aching from laughing. The Goblin King looked back at her, wet hair clinging to him as he smiled at her. The results of their water fight were clear. Sarah was very nearly soaked from head to toe, her shirt sticking to her skin. Jareth was much in the same condition. Toby, however, the intended recipient of the bath, was only wet from the waist down. Chuckling, Jareth resumed giving Toby a bath.

Sarah tried to ignore how his wet shirt clung to him, how the tights clung even tighter to him. Clearing her throat, she scooted up next to them and watched him with Toby. Attentive and careful, he diligently poured water over the baby, tickling him occasionally and making him giggle.

"I think he's finished," Jareth said finally, making Sarah realize that she had been quietly staring at the two of them. "Come on, chap," he said jovially, pulling the dripping baby out of the bathtub. Sarah leaped up and grabbed a towel, gently patting down her brother while Jareth held him. Together they dressed him and carried him into the crib in the nursery, bidding their goodnights before they stepped out and started the walk to their rooms.

"I told you I would win," he grinned sideways at her, and Sarah forced herself not to notice the power of his smile on her.

"You did _not_ win. There was no winning. It was a tie," Sarah defended herself, remembering his flashing eyes and smile as he playfully splashed the water at her, which was what started the fight in the first place.

A low chuckle resounded from Jareth's throat and they stopped, facing each other. "Well, Sarah, do I get such a gentle drying off as Toby received?" Sarah's eyebrows rose as Jareth's did, though more out of surprise than of Jareth's amusement.

"I, I, erm," Sarah sputtered, her mind searching for an answer. A deep mental breath was taken. Her eyes took in the sight of him before her, and from deep within her, she knew the answer, knew she had to finally tell him how she felt for him. She met his eyes again, and now there was a searing seriousness to them. And tonight she could melt into them. "Sure," she replied softly.

Jareth's eyes lit up and he held his hand out to her. Her fingers slid into his gentle grasp as he opened the door to his room, leading them both gently in. He turned and pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked off to what she assumed was the bathroom. In the hallway she had been cold, but Jareth's room was cozy with the fire burning brightly in the fireplace. Its lights shone on the rich, dark wood of his four-poster bed, covered in black satin sheets. A blanket lay folded on the trunk at the end of the bed, and Sarah approached it, running her fingers along its dreamy, velvety texture. Carvings of goblins wound their way along his the woodwork of his bed, and Sarah's fingers reached out to trace them.

"Finding everything to your liking?" came a sultry voice next to her ear. She gasped as lips grazed her cheek and Jareth was before her in a black silk robe. He held one out to Sarah and leaned on the bed.

Scrambling for her voice, she took the robe from his hands, her voice coming out surer than she felt for once. "What happened to drying off?" The smirk that should've been threaded into that statement was lost in her nerves.

"My dear, we shall get wetter before the night is through. We'll be thankful for cool water soon." His face had found the smirk, and she shook gently as he pulled her into his arms, wrapping a soothing hug around her waist. "Now, why don't you change out of those wet things?"

Slowly Sarah stood up, fingers toying with the buttons on her shirt, her eyes nervously flitting to him sitting on the bed. He rose to his feet, pulling her back into his arms and then his lips were on hers, hot and full of sexual energy. She melted into him then, her arms sliding about him, their bodies forming together. The next thing she felt was his hand over her stomach, and then he stepped back, breathless, chest heaving, apparently trying to hold himself back.

It was what Sarah needed to stop trembling. Her eyes were locked onto his now, as if they were hooked together by an invisible but incredibly strong tether. Fingers worked over the buttons of her shirt, and it was only when she realized her shirt was sliding off her shoulders that she came back to her senses, and it was like a jolt, getting thrown back into her body—alone, in her body. Blushing deeply, she started to bring her hands up to shield herself, but Jareth took her hands in his and shook his head.

"You're beautiful, Sarah, don't hide." He pulled her into another hug, hungry kisses taking her lips. A moan came from her lips as he made his way down her neck, his lips gently massaging her skin. She could feel his hard length pressing into her this time, and her body responded to that feeling in ways she couldn't really understand at the time. She leaned into him, her lips then falling on his neck and kissing gently, tentatively at first.

He picked her up then, cradling her to his body, lips returning to her mouth. Laying her down on the bed, he kissed down her chest and stomach, fingers slipping into the waistband of her skirt and running along her skin. Shaking from his touch, she moaned again, this time his lips falling on the newly exposed skin as he slid her skirt off her legs, sliding his hands back up her legs. His flashing eyes were gazing intently at her, and she felt herself swept away by the severity of their colors. Their eye contact couldn't stay for long, not when he lowered his mouth to the source of her need, his tongue sliding along and inside her, his lips manipulating hers.

Her hands gripped the sheets of the bed tightly, her back arching and another moan escaping her throat. Then his mouth was moving up her body again and she pouted at him when he came into focus over her. Smirking, he kissed his forgiveness from her, rolling over beside her, slipping his robe off finally. Her blue depths took in the sight of him beside her, their skin glowing in the light of the fireplace. Bringing her hand up, she trailed her fingers along the edges of his muscles, the framework of his bones, until her hand reached the hot member there. She wrapped her fingers around him, marveling at how hot it was, how alive it felt, how it quivered in her grasp.

The noise beside her made her look up. Jareth's eyes were half-closed, his breath coming in ragged through his mouth. He reached for her, enclosing her in another kiss, both gentle and hot, needing and loving. Back on top of her, his skin covering hers, the hard pink buds on her chest pressing into him. His knees gently edged her legs apart, and she felt something pressing at her entrance. Bringing his lips away from hers, he gently whispered into her ear.

"Brace yourself, love," he breathed, hot breath sending shivers along her again. "It'll hurt for a little bit, but it'll go away soon, I promise." Adding a gentle lick and nibble to her earlobe, Jareth thrust himself into her. Pain spread through her, replacing the liquid fires of the passion burning within her. He froze above her, not moving, covering her in soft kisses.

The fire made the only noise in the room outside of their breathing and the noise of his mouth on her skin. They stayed like that, held together, made into one, for what felt like an eternity. As her channel shifted to accommodate him, the pain was replaced by a deep pleasure in her bones. His lips grazed over hers and she caught him in an impassioned kiss, their tongues gently exploring the other. She shifted her hips against him, and she felt him move cautiously within her. Slowly, almost painfully so, he pulled himself almost all the way out and sank back into her again, picking up his pace gradually, driving Sarah wild beneath him.

Somehow her body knew what to do and she was moving against him, their bodies entwining in unison, hands sliding over the other's body. Her moans were met by growls from him, and as he began to slip faster within her, she began to feel something approach, her whole body tensing for it, and then her whole body was pleasure. The only thing she could clearly make out above her was Jareth, and then she felt something liquid moving inside her, and Jareth's head was buried into her neck, muffling a groan in her skin.

Again, they were perfectly still for a while, Jareth still nestled inside her. Finally he slid off her and he gently began pulling the sheets up around them, the smooth satin sheets sliding over her. Jareth settled back onto his pillow and wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close beside him in bed. Her head sank into the pillow and she was encased in his warmth. The heat made her drowsy, and Jareth smiled softly down at her, kissing her forehead.

"Sing to me," Sarah mumbled, voice heavy with sleep.

He smiled again and as his voice surrounded her like his warmth, Sarah drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Turning in his sleep, Jareth reached an arm out for Sarah, still deep in sleep. His arm sank onto the bed. Cold sheets instead of warm Sarah met his arm, and the overwhelming dread that crept into him then forced his eyes open. Sitting bolt upright, he searched the room for any trace of Sarah. Her clothes that were on the floor were gone, and his eyes scanned the locked room—he had locked it last night for fear of this exact thing—and found her staring daggers at him from a chair before the fireplace.

"Sarah—"

"Save it for another one of your spells, Jareth," she spat at him, "or another seduction of a girl. What the hell was I thinking?" The last bit seemed only half directed at him and Sarah wrenched herself out of the chair, staring into the fire that had dwindled. "How could I have done…_that_ with you?"

The venom in her voice stung deeper than he expected. "You never said no," Jareth put in and Sarah whirled on him, storming across the room.

"When did you ever give me a chance? How could I have been able to say no to you, you when you were trying to hard to seduce me in the first place?" The hatred in her eyes burned bright, tears pricking the corners. "How dare you let me go all this time without remembering what you did to me, what you almost did to Toby?"

The mention of Toby seemed to infuriate her even more, and Jareth figured she was remembering all the tender moments he'd had with her baby brother. She backed away from him, eyes wide and wild with rage. "Let me out of this room." The cold voice was worse than the venom-filled one.

"Sarah, I have shown you nothing but kindness, to you and to Toby. I've only done all that you've asked me to do. I took Toby when you asked, I was frightening to counter your fear, I fulfilled your every fantasy. I—"

"No, I don't want to hear how you think you love me. Do you do this with all the young girls? Kill their parents so you can take them into your castle and…and…" She faltered at this word, her eyes leaving his for a moment before meeting them in challenge again. "And then what do you do with them? Cast them off when your lust is done into a world they don't belong to anymore?" Her head shook furiously, shaking her matted locks about her shoulders. "No thank you. Let me out of this room."

"I don't kill; I find it tragic and useless. But you said it yourself; you don't belong in that world anymore. That leaves life here, with me. I can give you so much, anything you ask for as long as it wouldn't harm you," he put in quickly as he saw her start to speak. "I was bound the first time to the rules, to the script, but not anymore. If you only knew, Sarah—"

"I told you, save it for the next whore." The chilling words sank through to Jareth's bones, and he stared at her, angry and cold, hating him with her whole body when only the night before she had loved him with it. "Let me out."

Realizing that he'd lost the battle—_Not the war,_ he promised himself—he slid out of bed, grabbing a robe and slipping it on, figuring that it wouldn't help the situation any if he didn't. She snorted as he pulled it on, but he knew it would mean something to her. The door opened at his touch, and he opened it for her, stepping out of the way of her exit. She stalked past him and across the hall, opening her door and slamming it shut behind her.

Sighing, Jareth shut his own door and leaned against it. The fury of her anger had been more than even he expected. But there had been hope in what she'd said. She knew she couldn't go back, and she didn't say she wanted to. He played in his head what she'd said again. She just needed to be convinced of his love and that he didn't do this with every pretty young girl that happened along his labyrinth. Her memories weren't his to give back, either. That was another part of the Labyrinth that he couldn't control.

Until then, he had planned on just waiting for her anger to calm down and then he'd pursue her again, not as obvious as before. But he had the sneaking position that she still loved him and probably hated herself for it. What he needed was someone to talk to her, someone who she could trust and who had gone through his labyrinth before. He had the perfect person in mind, although he seriously doubted how happy Sarah would be to see the person. And, he grinned, it could help convince her of his love for her. He chuckled to himself at how wonderful his plan was and went about getting dressed.

* * *

Sarah fumed around her room, wanting desperately for something to throw, so she picked up a brush and hurled it across the room. It made a comfortingly loud thwack on the wall, but she was still angry. Flinging herself on the bed, she buried her face in the pillows and tried to forget. Forget how many baths she'd had to take to get his scent off her. Forget how the violation had spread to every inch of her body. _Forget…_

Screaming at herself, she hit the bed with her fist, sitting up quickly. How could it be possible for her to like him after all this? _It must be a spell,_ she told herself, getting up to pace about her room. _Yes, a spell. That explains the feelings for him._

A baby crying got her attention.

"Toby!"

Hurrying out of her room, she ran smack into Jareth, falling to the floor with a hard bump. Anger flared up in her again and she quickly rose to her feet, ignoring the outstretched hand before her. Without a word, Sarah hurried to Toby's nursery and scooped him up, cradling the baby in her arms. Toby's nurse was there, and a few other goblins, and Sarah began to give them instructions.

"Take his crib into my room. He's going to stay in there with me."

The goblins went about their instructions when Jareth spoke up from behind. "No he's not."

Whirling on him, Sarah's eyes blazed with hurt and anger. "Yes he is! He's my brother, and you're an evil Goblin King! You almost turned him into a goblin! The hell if I'm going to let you near him anymore!"

Stalking coolly into the room, he took a few steps toward her. Sarah quickly moved to shield Toby from him just as she had done with her stepmother, but this didn't have the same effect.

"He's my child now, Sarah. Have you forgotten that I took you out of that world where both of you would have been largely unloved? I may not be able to win your love, but I have Toby's, and I intend to keep it that way."

She felt her eyes bore into him and she hoped that it hurt. He didn't reach out for Toby like she expected him to, but he told the goblins that she wasn't to have Toby in her room at all until further notice. Angry tears again began to stream down her face, and she sank to the floor with him in her arms.

Toby's nurse patted Sarah's shoulder and attempted to say some things that were comforting, but Sarah's ears were deaf to comfort. On the surface, her troubles were that an evil man who had some sort of charm over her held her there. Deeper within her, in a place that she could never reach, she found herself in love with a man that her conscious wouldn't let her love, trapped by her own hatred.


	4. Reassurance

"Sarah, it's time to eat, now stop being ridiculous. Come and have dinner."

She threw another pillow at the hard wooden door that allowed his voice to channel into her room. "Leave me alone! I don't want to see you!"

"That would be very difficult to do considering we're both immortal. The castle is large, but it isn't that large."

Her hands froze holding another pillow. Did he say something about being immortal? Practically running across the room, she flung the door open and stared at him and his self-satisfied smirk. "What's that about being immortal?"

"You wouldn't let me explain myself before. We shared something that night, and it was immortality. You're here forever, Sarah. You_ are_ forever." Sarah's mouth gaped at his words, and she stared at him, feelings twisting inside her like snakes.

"What…why didn't you tell me!" she raged, pushing him out of her doorframe, watching him stumble back. When he looked up again, anger was swirling in those multicolor depths.

"I would never hurt you. I expect the same in return," he growled. "I didn't tell you because you couldn't understand then what eternal meant. You can now, so I told you."

Sarah stared blankly at him, mouth agape. Backing into her room, her hand found the door and she gripped it tightly in her hands. "Damn you!" she shouted at him and slammed the door in his face. Pressing her back to the door, she very clearly heard him chuckle.

"Too late."

Sinking to the floor again, Sarah hugged her knees tightly to her chest and began to rock gently back and forth, trying hard not to think about forever and Jareth in the same train of thought.

Jareth grinned, thinking about spending forever with Sarah. Once she stopped throwing things, of course. Sitting across from him at the table was a woman who resembled Sarah very much, and she was trying very hard to understand what was going on.

"So…you brought me back here to convince Sarah to fall in love with you so you can live happily ever after?" she said slowly, her blue eyes staring incredulously at the Goblin King.

"More or less," he replied, taking another forkful of food. "She's already in love with me though. She just forgot that part." _Or maybe she didn't,_ he grinned.

"And why should I do all this for you? Condemn her to eternity with you?" The coldness of the woman's voice resembled very much Sarah's.

"Because I let you keep her in the first place, not that you stuck around her very long. You owe me, Jessica. I gave you your daughter. Now you must give me my wife." The matter-of-fact tone in Jareth's voice was the medicine to soothe the woman's rage. He could tell that the facts calmed her down considerably, and she took a deep breath, staring back up at him.

"Show me to her room."

Another knock sounded at Sarah's door and she began to scream at it when Jareth appeared on the other side of it, smiling innocently at her. "You didn't think a door could keep me out? Come now, Sarah, you underestimate me."

"Get out," she spat, nervously glancing at the bed, beginning to fear.

"If I'd wanted that, you'd be in bed already." The words curled from his mouth like smoke and he smiled at her again. "No, I'm actually not going to stay very long. But she is." Then a woman appeared beside Jareth, and Sarah felt her jaw drop. She didn't even notice Jareth disappear. She stared at her mother and felt her heart sink and soar.

"Mom?" she whispered and Jessica nodded, starting for her daughter with a hug. Sarah met her in it before stepping back, eyes accusing. "Where were you when Karen tried to talk to you about taking me in?"

"Oh, honey, I was in Europe on a tour. My letters hadn't reached you yet I suppose." A preoccupied look came over her face and she looked away from Sarah, eyes scanning the room. "You're living nicely!"

"Yeah, with _him._ Have you come to take me home? He can't keep me here if there's someone who wants me, right?" The hope in Sarah's voice seemed to kill something in Jessica's eyes and she sank onto the bed, leaning against the posts.

"I'm not here to take you home," she replied softly. "I'm here to get you to stay." Sarah began to say something but Jessica held her hand up. "No, let me say what I'm going to say. You have to see that he loves you very much; you just have to give him a chance to show it. He can be cruel, I know, but he's not overly so. He doesn't kill anything, and he even gave Karen what she wanted most in the world. I know you think he's one of the worst men in the world, but really, he's one of the best. There are worse people you could end up with."

Surprised and shocked, Sarah fell onto the bed beside her mother. "How do you know what he's like?" Her eyes studied the nervous shell of the woman beside her. As the conversation went on, her usually confident mother crumbled more and more. Sarah began to wonder just what it was she seemed to be hiding from Sarah. Jessica turned, her knuckles going white around the wooden post.

"Because I," she faltered, swallowed. "I came here once to…to solve the Labyrinth." Then she winced, preparing herself for the rage that Sarah felt building up inside of her. Not only her stepmother, but her mother had wanted to get rid of her!

"What! Mom, how could you! I'm your daughter!" Shrieking, Sarah leapt from the bed and stared furiously down at the shrinking woman.

"Now try to understand—"

"I understand that you didn't care about me!" Anger poured through Sarah again, filling her up completely and shutting out any other emotions that had been there. At those words, something in Jessica seemed to wake up and she quickly stood up before her daughter, staring down—even though it was only a few inches—into the livid blue eyes.

"The hell I didn't! I was confused then, very depressed. They didn't have a name for it then, so I thought there was just something wrong with me, that I was wrong, that I didn't deserve to have you. I found that book and I wished you to someone who I felt would take better care of you. I know that doesn't make sense, but _I_ wasn't making sense then, don't you understand?"

Throughout Jessica's speech, she had backed Sarah down into a chair before the fireplace and she stared down at her, fuming now in her rage, tears pooling around her lashes as she recalled memories that she never wanted to see again. Now Sarah found herself looking up at a woman with the same fiery temper as herself. Disbelief and shame flooded through her, feelings of confusion and pain.

"I fought my way through that Labyrinth as hard as I could, but I was sick. So weak; I hadn't really eaten for a few days. I was two minutes late. _Two minutes_. When I got into that castle, Jareth was there, in the throne room, just him and you. I asked for you and he said that it was too late, that I had lost. But then he changed, and you wrapped your hand around his finger, and he smiled. He gave you back to me and told me to take care of you, and that's what I did. I left you with your father because I knew he could give you a better life than I ever could. You can't imagine the relief I felt when Jareth put you back in my arms."

The words were almost too hard for her ears to pick up. She could barely comprehend what her mother was saying, but the words sank in, and as she understood, she gaped up at her mother. "Jareth…gave in? He surrendered?" It was almost too impossible to believe, but her mother nodded and pulled up the other chair, taking her daughters hands.

"Yes, he did. I didn't know why, didn't want to question it. I just wanted to make sure you'd never hurt for anything again."

Sarah sat back, taking it all in, a question coming to the surface of her mind, one that brought pain with it. "Did you remember it?" Sarah felt that everything hinged on this question, though she didn't know just what was on the chopping block.

"For a while, no. I went a few days without even remembering it as a dream. One day, I had a bottle of pills. You were crying; you always were. I never could get you to stop. I was crying too." Here she paused, a course smile coming over her face. "I guess I could never get myself to stop either. I poured the bottle into my hand, and then he appeared again. He ripped the pills out of my hand and picked you up, admonishing me for abusing the gift he'd given me.

"Then he started talking to me, telling me about how I had to take care of you, how I had to come back to my senses. He put you in my arms again, and I stared down into your sweet face. It was then that I realized all the truth behind his words, and I realized then just how much I loved you. And I remembered. He held me while I cried, and suddenly he was gone. I'm not sure how the memories work, Sarah, but I think he has to make you realize the deepest truth that you hide from yourself and make you find some sort of love."

What her mother was saying unfortunately made sense. Shaking her head, Sarah tossed her hair over her shoulders and glared accusingly at the floor. That was _not_ why she remembered. Maybe he had made her realize what a powerful lust he drew from within her, and maybe the love was…well, Sarah didn't really have an answer for that.

"What Jareth really wanted me to come in her for was to convince you that he really could love you." Leaping up, Sarah stalked away from her mother, not wanting to hear this, not ready to hear this. "He does love you; he has ever since he had you for those thirteen hours."

"No, no, no," Sarah began to utter, then whirled on Jessica. "Enough! I've heard enough!" Jessica was gone. Relieved, Sarah crawled onto her bed and pulled her legs up close to her, too much truth circulating through her veins. She drew the blankets up around her, holding them close to her, but she felt no real comfort from them. She didn't let herself know why, but it was because they weren't Jareth's arms. Curling up into a ball, she let the tears come, hard tears that shook her body and wore her out until she finally fell asleep.

* * *

The fire burned in the fireplace, sending slivers of warmth up her pale skin. It had been a few days since her mother's visit, and she was still dealing with the feelings that it had dredged up. She had come to terms with her mother and her trip to the Underground as well as her own trek through the twists and turns of Jareth's labyrinth. Even though she couldn't really talk specifically about Jessica's experience, Sarah had a sneaking suspicion that it was similar to Sarah's. In this sort of enchanted kingdom, Sarah had no idea what sort of laws or rules there were, but she figured that if there were any, Jareth would still have to abide by them. But then, he did give her back to her mother, and that couldn't easily be explained. 

Sighing as he came into her mind once again, she gazed blankly into the fires, knowing that it wasn't the same. Nothing was the same, nothing as intense, since that morning when she woke up in Jareth's bed. She had blamed it on her anger. Now the heat of the fire was bland almost, its colors as pale as death.

Getting to her feet, she walked to the door and opened it, stepping into the hallway for the first time in almost a week. The different light hurt her eyes for a bit before they could adjust, and once they did she looked almost expectantly at the door across from her. A few moments passed and she realized that she had no idea what she was waiting for. Turning decisively down the hallway, she stepped into Toby's room. For once there weren't any goblins in the room, but a tall man in a white silk shirt was, sitting on the floor and helping Toby—who had grown rather large and could even walk—build a castle with blocks. Jareth grabbed four blocks and turned them a few different ways before he spread them out before the baby and pointed to them.

"Look, Toby, it's you. T-O-B-Y. Toby." Toby gurgled out something and patted the blocks. "Yes, that's right," Jareth laughed, then turned his eyes up to Sarah standing in the doorway. His eyes were light and happy, and she could see her presence reflected in those elusive depths. "Well, Toby, look who's finally decided to come out and see you. Hello, Sarah," he said, almost fearfully, turning the last bit to Sarah only.

"Hi," she said tentatively, aware of just how stupid it had been to refuse to see Toby. Settling herself on the floor, she stayed a good distance away from the Goblin King, tickling Toby's stomach as he wobbled over to her.

"Sawah!" he cooed and wrapped his arms around her neck. Sarah looked up incredulously at Jareth, who merely shrugged and rested a gloved hand on his boot.

"He missed you," was his simple reply, but the burning look in his eyes told her that Toby wasn't the only one who missed her. Not really wanting to explore her feelings anymore—and feeling a lot like a psychiatrist when she thought that—she turned her eyes away from Jareth and instead focused on Toby.

"How has he been?" she asked, building up a tower with her little brother. A barely perceptible sigh reached her ears, and Jareth responded with a casual answer, regaling some of the more humorous tales that Sarah had missed.

The time passed by quickly, and sooner than Sarah had realized, she and Jareth were walking back to their rooms. She had spent the day with Jareth and Toby—her family, she told herself—and she had spent it happier than she had been since that burning night. Taking a side glance at Jareth, who had said nothing to really provoke her emotions all day or even touch her, she sighed to herself, the jumbling of emotions within her becoming too much for her to deal with anymore.

"Something wrong?" he asked, as if she hadn't just spent days locked in her room after they had sex.

"No, Jareth, life is rainbows and carousels," she replied bitterly, stopping at her door and leaning against it, pressing her hands to her eyes. "I've had sex with the man I hate most in the whole world, and suddenly he's the one who saved my mother from suicide and surrendered me back to her, even though he didn't really have to." Sighing again, she squeezed her eyes shut beneath her hand.

"Maybe there's something I should explain to you." He was leaning beside her, and his warmth was enough to make goosebumps along her arms. "I don't ever have to keep a baby that I take. Not when someone fights for them. Really the labyrinth is just a way for them to realize on their own that they really want the child. I must tell them the rules, however, for if someone attempts the labyrinth without that true desire in their soul, they will lose. That's how I get the goblins. People either choose not to go on the quest or they don't want to succeed. I could've kept you, but I knew that you would grow to resent me for it."

There had been too much information for Sarah to process, so she had a headache by the time he was done, and she held up her hand to him, shaking her head sadly. "Please, tell me later. I think if someone tells me something else profound about my life that I'll be sick."

Chuckling, Jareth nodded and started for his bedroom door. "Very well, Sarah. Just know that what I feel, I feel through to the very fiber of my soul. And I feel very much for you." He glanced over his shoulder as he pushed open the door to his room, and Sarah shivered as she saw the look in his eyes. It was so different than it usually was; it was tender and affectionate. She swallowed harshly and stepped toward him impulsively, her pent-up feelings finally getting the best of her.

"Wait, I." Jareth stopped, puzzled and hopeful, and turned to look at her, letting himself fill up the doorway of his room so she wouldn't have to see his bed. "I…" She faltered again, then found herself walking toward him, her arms going around him in a tight hug. Never had she hugged someone so tightly in all her life, and soon she realized that she was sobbing on his shirt. Right then she felt that she could never let him go, that he was the only thing that could ever comfort her. She crushed his body to hers, crying harder than she ever had.

Jareth's arms hesitated over her body at first before he heartily hugged her back, running his fingers smoothly through her hair and murmuring gently words into her ear. Carefully he lifted her up, but only enough so he could carry her to her room, not wanting to break her hug. Pushing open the door to her room, he carried her in and laid her on the bed, settling himself down next to her, kissing the top of her head softly.

"Hush now," he said gently into her ear, letting kisses fall on the lobe of her ear. Shivering from the severity of her emotional crash and his lips on her skin, she released him, rolling over to face the ceiling, wiping at her face.

"I'm sorry," she said weakly, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't be. You've had a lot put on you in these past few months." His soothing voice seemed to calm her ruffled nerves, and she reached out her hand carefully to find his.

"Th-thank you." Her voice was still strained. "For showing me…everything."

The smile was evident in his tone even though he never really said anything about her comment. "Ssh, sleep now. Enough worrying for one night." He hesitated here and she felt his careful gaze on her. "Would you like me to stay?" The question was light, meant to not force her into anything.

Sarah wiped her face again and watched the top of her canopy for an answer. As much as his presence would send up flares in her mind in so many confusing directions, when he held her, everything quieted. And it _would _be nice to have something to cuddle when she slept.

"Yes," she replied slowly. His body left the bed for a moment and she looked up questioningly. He had made his way across the room to her dresser and found her nightgown. Returning, he set it down above her clothes. Before Sarah could ask, she felt the fabrics blending together until she was wearing just her nightgown and her clothes were on the chair. The blankets were sliding out from beneath her and then he was beside her again, pulling the soft sheets over both of them.

He let her settle herself how she wanted, and Sarah was grateful as she faced him, sliding an arm over his chest and holding him close. His arm slid over her waist and his lips found her forehead again. Still, it all seemed innocent and kind, and Sarah was comforted by his presence instead of confused. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. By the time she had finished exhaling, she was asleep.

Jareth watched her sleep peacefully, her head resting on his shoulder, arm wrapped tightly around his chest. It had been difficult to breathe when she had hugged him out in the hallway, and even now her grip was tight enough to restrict his breathing. Letting his fingers gently trail her skin for a moment, he observed with some satisfaction that his fingers left bumps along her skin. He kissed her head again, lovingly, glad to have her in his arms again. In a few moments, he too succumbed to the sleep that tugged at his eyes, warm and inviting.

A/N: Almost there now...


	5. Peace

A/N: Well here it is, the ending. It's been strange, being able to finish a story that I start within days, but count yourselves lucky; usually, I never finish a story that I start. Fair warning about the explicitness of this chapter, so if you don't enjoy that, you should be able to tell when you should stop reading, then pick back up at the last scene break.

Sarah murmured something sleepily and hugged the warmth closer to her. Happy dream had danced through her mind all night, and something told her that this warmth was the reason for it. She hadn't felt this rested in a long time, and as she let her eyes drift open, they fell on the sleeping form of Jareth. Instantly her mind was reeled back to that morning when she woke up beside him. The horror that raced through her body as she remembered everything, from the first moment she saw him in the window to his hands on her body, and the shame she felt on every inch of her skin. This morning was so completely different. Forcing away her emotions, she reveled in solely the comfort that he provided, the warmth that seemed to reach into her very soul and relax her completely. Sighing deeply, she hugged him to her, nuzzling her head onto his shoulder.

"Good morning." It was simple, devoid of any real sleepiness, and it sent shivers of happiness down her spine. A content smile was her only response, her hand seeking his out and entwining her fingers around him. Jareth smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead again, more comforting than it would have been a few days ago. "I'm glad you're feeling better." Again, Sarah didn't speak, afraid she might ruin the moment or something. This peace was almost alien to her after so long; she wanted to hold onto it as long as she could.

Jareth too fell silent, and they spent the better part of an hour laying there quietly, dozing in and out of sleep, enjoying the company of the other. The morning sunlight streamed through Sarah's windows, casting Jareth in a heavenly glow, shining through his hair as if it was lit up by a thousand lights, playing on his pale skin. She watched the patterns it made on his chest as he inhaled and exhaled, his gentle breath stirring the hair on her shoulders. It was so perfect. All those nights she had lain in her bed wanting something, she finally found out what it was that she wanted. This peace, bliss, contentment.

Looking through her lashes up at the man beneath her, he smiled at her, toying with her hair with a few careful fingers. Slowly she let herself smile back, and a part of her knew that this wasn't just a smile she was giving to him. But, she wasn't quite ready to mess up this embrace, and she was afraid that any words heralding emotions might put an end to this moment, perhaps forever.

Eventually, however, they did fall to talking. At first it was just quiet murmurings about breakfast and Toby, and then they were discussing books and their own childhoods, recounting stories and laughing. Sarah had never felt more at home with anyone, and as she thought that, she knew that now he _was_ her home.

"Well, Sarah, as much as I'd love to spend all day in this bed, I am starting to get hungry," Jareth said finally after hearing both of their stomachs rumble once or twice. Sighing, Sarah got up and crawled out of the bed, going over to her dresser to pick out an outfit for the day.

"Thanks for staying with me," she said as she went off behind the dressing wall in her room, her voice still soothed. "I really needed someone to hold me."

"Anytime, Sarah. I mean that."

Smiling to herself, she knew that he really meant it, and she treasured those words. Stepping out behind the wall, she held out her hand to him, mimicking his gesture. Lips curling into a smile, he rose out of the bed and slipped his fingers into her hand, squeezing them gently as they went to the door. While Sarah was dressing, Jareth had magicked some clothes onto himself, and so they went unhindered to the breakfast room.

The day was very much like the morning was. Sarah spent most of it near the Goblin King, even while they took Toby down to see the beach again at the outer edges of the kingdom. When Toby had curled up for a nap beside Sarah, she rested herself back against Jareth and watched the waves rolling in, hearing their crashing against the beach like smooth music.

Away in the distance, land was visible, black against the horizon, the orange sun shielding its rays from the mass. Sarah looked curiously at it having never really thought about other lands being in the Underground. Pointing at it, she looked up at Jareth. "What's that over there?" she asked.

"That's the elves kingdom," he replied with out even glancing at it. "An elf runs just about every kingdom in the Underground…including mine," he said finally, glancing down at Sarah to gauge her reaction. She wasn't nearly that shocked, figuring that Jareth wasn't exactly completely human.

"Is that why you're immortal?" The question had been bothering her for a while, as well as the one about her immortality. Had he just said it to get her to come out of the room?

"Yes. Elves are immortal. Strictly, we're only allowed to marry other elves."

The statement sent Sarah's anger up a notch or two. "So what were you planning on doing with me?" she asked angrily, eyes flashing up at him. Jareth responded coolly.

"Marry you. Not much they could do about it once it was done. No one else really wants to take over the goblins, and technically I'm the last of the goblin line, so no one else can."

"But isn't there some way to punish you?" Sarah asked, afraid now that something might happen to him because of her. The thought stirred up mixed feelings within her, and she almost missed his response as she focused on them.

"Not really. See, the problem is that whenever an elf has his way with a mortal, the mortal becomes immortal. It's not really a problem with us since we're already immortal, but immortality isn't something that should be freely given out. Don't worry though," Jareth said quickly when he saw Sarah's worried glances. "You're the only person I've ever made immortal." He was going to say something else but stopped and looked toward the distance at the black shapes.

Sarah didn't say anything either for a while, instead taking in the multiple meanings of what he had told her. He hadn't made anyone else immortal aside from her, so that means he's never been with a mortal, never been with someone from her world, so he couldn't take advantage of every girl that traipses through his labyrinth. That bit of information was extremely comforting, and she wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling his chest again. He pulled her closer to him, kissing her forehead again and gazing down at her. His eyes were muddled, though, mixed with his joy and a deep sadness.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reaching a hand up to trace his jaw line. Closing his eyes tightly, he leaned in slightly to her touch, holding her almost too tightly against him.

"I love you, Sarah. I would gladly give up everything I have if it only meant that I could spend every one of my days and nights with you. I miss you terribly." Taken aback, Sarah withdrew her hand. "I promised myself that I wouldn't rush you, but it's starting to kill me. I need you with me, need you by my side."

"But I am," she pointed out, sitting up a little straighter and narrowing her eyes at him. "I've been with you all day. I like being with you." Somehow she knew that these simple answers weren't enough, and he confirmed her suspicions.

"That's not how I mean. I need you as my wife, Sarah," he replied, shaking his head, his hair falling over his shoulder as he spoke. "This is all well and good, but what happens if you wake up one morning and decide you don't like me again? There's nothing to make you want to be with me again. It's terribly uncertain, and I'm beginning to lose my patience. You've done very well at bringing out the old qualities I used to possess: kindness, compassion, patience. But I still have my limits."

Jareth paused and looked down at her in his arms, questioning, scared, and he leaned down and touched his lips to hers, eyes locked. Standing up, he produced a crystal in the air. "I have to go back. When you want to come home, just say the word. If you go to bed tonight without stopping by my room, then I'll know that you don't want my love, and I'll send you back to earth to live happily. Immortality is not easily taken away, but it can be done." Here he hesitated and looked hopefully at her. "If you do stop by my door, then I'll know that there is hope, and you can stay here until you sort yourself out." He vanished, but a warm wind wrapped around Sarah and she knew it was a parting hug.

Sitting back on the bank, the warm sun flowing over her skin, she wrapped an arm around Toby and shut her eyes. Finally it was the time to delve into the feelings that she hadn't wanted to deal with this whole time, find the words that she'd been loathing to say. A good deal of soul searching was done on that beach, and for a long time Sarah lay motionless on the beach. After a while as the afternoon wore on, Toby's stomach growled and he woke up slightly, then was gone from her side, no doubt safe at home in the castle with Jareth.

_Home,_ she thought warmly, noticing that it was the second time in the day she'd put "home" and "Jareth" in the same sentence. Yes, he gave her more secure feelings than she'd ever had before. She knew that he was a dangerous man when he was challenged, but when he was your friend, he was jovial and kind and almost sweet. And when he loved you…she let her thoughts drift away as she recalled all the times they'd shared, playing splash instead of bathing Toby, cooking dinner together, reading books, and just being near each other. She marveled as she realized how much comfort she drew out of just the knowledge that he was just across the hall from her, though before that would send chills up her spine.

Her mind made up, she sat up and noticed that the sun was already setting. Her stomach roared angrily at her, and she closed her eyes, hoping very much to see the Goblin King's face when she reappeared at the castle. Following his instructions, she wished aloud to be back at the palace, but when she opened her eyes, Jareth was nowhere to be seen. There was a dinner set up in their usual dining room, and she had to eat alone, chewing carefully and slowly, anxiety building up in her for some reason. He hadn't asked her for anything more than reassurance, she was sure of that by the look in his eyes.

As she finished her meal—not that she could really eat that much—she got up from the table and went back to her chambers, fixing her hair and changing into an outfit that wasn't all sandy. She pulled out a light blue dress, noticing how it drew her eyes out rather nicely. Opening the door to her room again, she stepped out into the hallway and hesitated with her hand balled into a fist, ready to fall onto his door. Taking a deep breath, she tried to quiet her beating heart. Fire was beginning to light itself down her body, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. Images of their last night together in his room flashed through her mind, the memories so vivid that she could smell him again around her. Taking another breath, she rapped her knuckles on his door.

The door creaked open before her, Jareth apparently worried that she might just tell him no after all. He stood before her, white satin shirt open at the top, billowing around him, his white tights glowing in the moonlight. Now her breathing stopped and she knew she had to do something, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. She did the next best thing, and quickly.

Her body was against him, arms flung around his neck, lips pressing hungrier than she had intended against him. Falling back from her sudden weight, it took him no more than a few seconds to respond, wrapping his arms tightly around her, hugging her to him. The door creaked shut and pressed her against it, lips crushed against each other, tongues dancing.

A few seconds before their embrace, both had only been thinking of a loving night together. As their bodies joined and they realized their hunger for the other, their emotions were too strong for a simple loving night. Growling, Jareth picked her up and carried her to the bed, their lips still joined tightly, bodies quickly heating up. Setting her down, he reached behind her for the clasp to her dress and fumbled with it, Sarah meanwhile running her fingers up her shirt. She wasn't too clear on what she was doing, but she wasn't too clear in what she was thinking either, and all she knew right then was that there was a severe need in her that only he could fix.

Snarling almost, Jareth ripped the dress from her after another second with the clasp, and before Sarah could say anything—she wasn't even sure if she was angry—his lips found her skin, sucking at her neck, nibbling at her tender skin. Moaning and squirming beneath him, she pulled at his shirt, wanting to feel flesh on flesh.

"Go on and rip it," he breathed hotly in her ear, teeth dragging along the tender flesh of her ear. Shuddering at his mouth on her most tender spot, she did as he said, surprised at how easily the fabric ripped.

Jareth seemed to like it, for his eyes flashed hotly, and he quickly got himself out of his pants. Still lying near the edge of the bed, Jareth plunged himself inside her, leaning over to take her mouth in his, sucking at her lips. Writhing beneath him, Sarah quickly found herself moving to accommodate him, which was good since he didn't seem willing to wait tonight. Her voice rose and crested around him, the room soon filled with the sounds of their passion. His breath was hot on her neck and rough, as sporadic as her own. The little gasps and grunts and growls he made at her neck sent shivers along her spine, and the heat built up in her, her body tensing tighter and tighter, fingers digging into his shoulders.

The familiar burning at the junction of her thighs began, an anticipation spreading through her body. Sensing it, his hips flew faster at her, jarring her senses with a wonderful feeling, her hands holding tightly to him, and finally she was exploding in pleasure around him and beneath him, and he moaned in her ear as she went on in her ecstasy, her grip on him tightening almost beyond pleasure.

When she stilled beneath him, he slid out of her and settled onto the bed, grabbing her by her waist and pulling her down on top of him, stretching her again to fit him. A little unsure, she started up a rhythm, his eyes closing tightly, hands gripping her waist. One drifted up to her breasts, rolling the nipple between his fingers. She saw him begin to tense, and then he grew rather still, something trickling inside Sarah.

Their eyes met and they smiled, Sarah settling down next to him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. She gasped when she saw the nail marks on his back and she quickly began to kiss them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you too badly?" she crooned, showering his skin with gentle kisses. Jareth chuckled, his hands sliding along the curves of her skin.

"It's a sign that I did something right," he replied, his mouth following his fingers, tongue trailing a line along her body. Shivering, she froze in place, feeling herself getting that itch back again. "I plan to get a lot more of those marks before the night is done," he smirked against her skin, and she grinned back at him, a devilish glint in both of their eyes.

His hands were over her again, finding their way over her gentle skin, giving her only the lightest of touches here and there, tickling her senses, soft moans coming from her throat. Jareth lightly traced his kisses along her skin, his hands gently taking her breasts into his hands, rubbing his thumb over the hard buds. She was quickly becoming lost to him, and fell back on the bed. Swiftly, Jareth covered her body and kissed down it, letting his mouth fall between her legs. His tongue was on her again, and somehow this was better than even the last time. Deft movements and gentle sucking soon had her succumbing to pleasure again, her hands grabbing tightly to the sheets, his name escaping her lips.

Her breathing evened out and he was lying next to her again, his hand resting on her stomach, his smirking face rather self-satisfied. She too grinned and ran her fingers along the lines of his muscular chest. "You better wipe that smug look off your face," she chided, another evil look coming into her eyes.

"Oh? What will you do if I don't?" he replied, a glint returning to his eyes too. By this time, Sarah was well aware of the warm length pressing into her leg again. She slid down his body, only vaguely aware of what to do from stories she had heard and even some her friends had been bold enough to send her. Feeling bold though, she ran her tongue gently along his warm length, covering it with kisses, gently taking it into her mouth, knowing enough to suck him as she went about her business, her eyes carefully watching him for signs that he was getting closer. It was beginning to take longer than Sarah had wanted when she saw his eyes shut tight again and his body begin to tense. Smirking, she took her mouth from him and slid off the bed.

"Hrm, no," she grinned, but the look in his eyes when he opened them was frightening, and she backed away from him, a little bit of fear creeping into her. Jareth in one fluid motion carried himself off the bed, closed the gap between himself and Sarah, and crossed the room to the wonderfully soft, furry rug before the fire. Without a word, he set her down on her hands and knees and plunged himself within her depths, causing her to cry out as different sensations spread through her. His hands were rough on her hips, his actions rough behind her, but it only seemed to drive her wilder.

She heard a deep intake of breath and Jareth stopped, lying back on the fur rug, his hands behind his head, a somewhat serious look on his face. "It's not a very good idea to deny me pleasure," he said flatly, and Sarah pouted, drawing her legs under her. Before she came up with a good response, he sat up and kissed her, but it was more of a kiss, a different kiss than the ones he had given before. His mouth gently massaged her lips, tongue caressing the inside of her mouth. He pulled them both back onto the rug, the warmth of the fire flowing over them and making their skin glow orange. His arm slid around her waist and she rested happily on his chest, forgiving him…for now.

"Well, that was more than I had expected," Jareth said truthfully then, his fingers tracing over the lines of her spine.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that I was supposed to tell you something," Sarah laughed, looking up at the Goblin King's face. She smirked when she saw the tiniest hint of worry buried deep within his eyes.

"What's that?" He tried to sound nonchalant, but it hadn't quite worked, not enough to guard his emotions from Sarah.

"I love you," she said, and even though they had just shared the most intimate moments that Sarah would ever have with anyone, she still found that her voice shook a little, and she felt as if she wanted to cry. She almost did when the look in his eyes and face met her. He lit up like the fireplace before her, brightness that seemed to come from the very core of himself.

Quickly he held her to him, rolling over on top of her so he could more easily kiss her, a kiss not too dissimilar to the one she had just received. "Oh Sarah, I love you too," he said, sounding so relieved, so blissful, his voice muffled into her neck.

* * *

**Epilogue of Sorts**

Sarah, Jareth, and Toby stood on the beach, the waves coming in around their ankles. Toby, now walking and talking, stumbled along in front of them, playing in the waves, splashing at his sister and Jareth. They were walking hand-in-hand down the shoreline, stopping now and then to wait for Toby as he splashed at the fish he saw in the shallow waves.

Jareth stopped Sarah and turned her face to his, looking down sweetly into her eyes, such love written across his features that it would have broken anyone's heart. It very nearly broke Sarah's, and she looked back with what she hoped was an equally loving glance. Jareth rather thought it was, and he lowered his lips to hers only gently.

Smiling, they resumed their walk down the beach, watching protectively over Toby's playing form in the waves. The sun was beginning to sink beneath the edge of the world, behind the outline of the elf kingdom that they would sometimes visit, where they were welcomed. Sarah raised her hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, the clear diamond from the caves of the elves catching and throwing the light of the sun.

A/N: And they lived happily ever after. Reviews always highly appreciated. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

--Riana


	6. Epilogue II: Mornings of Gold

A/N: Time with boyfriend + Jareth/Sarah romance another epilogue. Takes place after the night Sarah and Jareth confess their love. Just some fluff. Read if you wish.

**Epilogue II: Mornings of Gold**

Yawning, Sarah rolled over on the bed—and her eyes opened. Groaning, she attempted to move her leg and was met only with pain. Making a mental check of what hurt, she quickly realized that _everything_ hurt, every muscle on her body was painfully sore. Jareth's arm slid over her, wet kisses on her neck, his scent filled her sense anew.

"What's wrong, my precious thing?" he almost purred, his lips continuing to dance a feathery trail over her neck. Sarah shuddered and winced.

"I hurt," she pouted, attempting to turn over to face him but giving up halfway. Jareth chuckled and lightly traced his fingers along the delicate features of her face, bringing them down gently over her figure.

"Forgive me, Sarah. In the throes of last night's passions I forgot to be gentle with you." Ever-so-tenderly, he brought his lips to her skin again, trailing a sweet and loving kiss over her collarbone. "Where does it hurt, love?" he murmured into her skin.

Sarah's response was a mixture of a groan in memory of her pain and a moan in reaction to his mouth. "Everywhere," she replied, both dismal and hungry. Her only response was another chuckle as he swiftly carried himself down her body, fingers lightly pressing into her skin. They slipped in around her hips, rubbing along her inner thigh, his eyes on her face to gauge how close he came to a sore spot. His fingers dipped in around her hipbone and she groaned. Grinning, he quickly worked to take her pains away, working on both her hips until she looked relieved.

He made quick work to slowly drag his fingers down her legs, kissing the smooth skin, his fingers gently playing at her skin. Sarah was very nearly going insane—his touch was so light, so marvelous. The pain was quickly slipping away from her love-worn body. Moaning, his name worked its way out of her mouth.

"Really Sarah, do you ever stop thinking about that?" he said with a wicked grin, and Sarah meekly looked up at him from the pillow.

"Not really," she replied and tried to move—but was met with a shooting pain from her backside. The stiffness in her shoulders was evident now and she pouted. "I can't move! It's not fair."

Jareth was by her side in a second, his face painfully close to hers but he wouldn't let her close the gap, his eyes teasing hers. "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is." Another evil grin came over his face and he gently turned her over, his fingers working at her shoulders, thumbs digging into the sore flesh. Very soon Sarah was groaning again, his deft fingers working their way slowly down her back.

Finally he came to the swell at the end of her spine, and he lightly pressed his lips to it before bringing his fingers down to knead the soft flesh. Her groans muffled by the pillow, Sarah almost went out of her mind from the pleasure. Not only was he rather delightfully massaging away the sharp pain there, it also felt pretty damn good.

Eventually he stopped and came back up to lie beside Sarah, who could now turn on her side without steeling herself for pain. All that was left was a stiffness in her muscles, but she pulled his arms around her, letting his warmth act as medicine to her tired body. She stared softly into his eyes, trailing his features with her fingers.

"You know what, Sarah?" Jareth finally asked, his fingers trailing up her spine.

"Hm?" she responded dreamily, her mind awash in his warmth.

"I think it's about time I gave you a basis for comparison." An evil grin came into his features, and Sarah quickly found one to match his eyes.


End file.
